Can-opening and pouring spoutforming device



Dec. 1, 1953 G. A. HARMS 2,660,781

CAN-OPENING AND POURING SPOUT-FORMING DEVICE Filed Aug. 18, 1950 INVENTOR.

BY 6/4 55/?774 HARMJ Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN -OPENING AND POURING SPOUT- FORMING DEVICE Gilbert Atfiarms, Coffee Creek, Mont.

Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,288

' 1 Claim. 1

This invention appertains to improvements in devices for opening a can and simultaneously forming a pouring spout in the side wall of the can in alignment with the opening.

The primary object of this invention is to pro vide a combination can-opening and spout-forming device, which is positively anchored against accidental dislodgment on a can, and which is operatively reactive to a slight manual pressure for forming an opening and an aligned pouring spout in a continuous operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a can-opening and spout-forming device, which includes a first member adapted to be superimposed on the end of a can and having a means for venting the can, and hook means for engaging the'shoulder of the double seam joining the can end to the can body, and to provide a second member pivotally mounted on the first member and swingably overlying the first member for movement relative to the can end, the second member having cutter extending laterally therefrom and adapted to pierce the can end upon downward movement of the second member relative to the first member, with the cutter passing through the first member and forming a radial slot in the can end, at the same time bulging the seam outwardly in alignment with the. slot to form a pouring spout.

Another object of this invention is to provide hook means engageable on the double seam of a i can or container for mounting a first member in a superimposed position on the can end, and to provide a swingable second member pivotally mounted on the first member, and having a cutter extending therefrom, and adapted to pierce the can end and cooperate with the hook means to form an outwardly projecting pouring spout, which is aligned with the opening in the can end.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a conventional can, with an opening and pouring spout-forming device, constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention, operatively positioned thereon;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the opening and spout-forming device;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the can end after the opening and pouring spout is formed therein;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the cutter-supporting member;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the blank forming the supporting member; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the cutter taken on line 66 of Figure 1.

A can I0 is illustrated in the drawing, the can being conventionally constructed and including a body l2 on which an end [4 is positioned, the end being joined by a double seam it. In such hermetically sealed metal cans liquids are sold, and'the present invention l8 relates generally to a container opener for forming an opening and pouring spout in the end 14, so that the liquid may be easily poured therefrom in a sanitary manner and without spilling.

The opening and spout-forming'device l8 includes a supporting or first member 20, which is adapted to be transversely superimposed on the can end l4, and which is preferably stamped from sheet metal, one end 22 thereof being bifurcated to form branches or bifucations 24 and 26. The outer ends of the bifurcations are bent inwardly and downwardly to provide hooks 28 and 30 which are engageable on the shoulder of the double seam, as seen in Figure 1, when the member is positioned on the can end.

A punch 32 is stamped from the member adjacent the opposing end thereof, the punch being extended angularly from the member, so as to depend therefrom when the member is placed on the can end. The punch is provided to anchor the member in a superimposed position on the can end, and to form a vent opening 34 in the can end, as seen in Figure 3.

Recesses 36 and 38 are formed in the opposing longitudinal marginal edges of the member 20 and are transversely aligned, the recesses being provided with laterally extending pivots or pintles 40 and 42.

A second member 44 is pivotally mounted on the first member and is adapted to swingably overlie the first member when it is positioned on the can end M. The second member 44 is stamped from sheet metal and is formed with projecting parallel arms 46 and 48, the arms being bent upon themselves to form bearings journaled on the pivots 4B and 42.

A cutter 5B is stamped from the body portion of the second member 44 and is bent at right angles therefrom, the cutter depending from the second member when the member is pivotally journaled on the first member, as seen in Figure 2. The cutter is formed with a triangular free end 52 which is sharpened for piercing engagement on the can end, and is formed with a sharpened lead edge'54 and a rounded trailing edge 56.

In use, the supporting or first member 20 is positioned on the can end, with the hooks 28 and 39 engaged on the shoulder of the double seam. The member is then moved downwardly relative to the can end, with the punch 32 piercing the can end and forming the vent 34, the member being superimposed transversely on the can end. The second member 44 is then moved relative to the can end, with the leading edge 54 of the cutter and the triangular outer end or free end piercing the can end and forming a slot 58 which radiates inwardly from the double seam. As the member is moved further toward the can end 14, the trailin edge 56 bulges the double seam outwardly, the trailing edge engaging the double seam on the interior thereof and forcing the double seam outwardly between the spaced hooks 28 and 30. The outwardly projecting pour-' ing spout 6D is thus formed in the double seam and is aligned with the opening 58.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In a can top punch device, a first member 7 arranged to be engaged across the can top, said first member having a stationary depending punch intermediate its ends for punching a vent hole in a central part of the can top as said first member is pressed downwardly on th can top,

said first member having one end formed with point adjacent to and spaced from said one end of said first member, and a second member hinged on a transverse axis to said first member at a point intermediate said punch and said hook means, said second member being arranged to be swung downwardly in the direction of said hook means from an upwardly inclined inoperative position relative to said first member to a depressed operative position upon said first member,

said second member having a depending cutter arranged to pass downwardly through said slot as said second member is swung downwardly from inoperative position for cutting a slot in the can top and forming a closure therefor, said cutter having an edge sufficiently remote from the hinge axis of said second member positioned to engage the can rim and bulge the can rim at an end of the slot formed in the can top to deform the can rim and form a pouring spout.

GILBERT A. HARMS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,025,450 Higbee Dec. 24, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS N umber Country Date 623,786 Germany Jan. 4, 1936 

